The first cookbook ever from The Black Dog will enable you to take home a delectable piece of Martha's Vineyard. Here are the best recipes from the summertime menu of a true American institution.

The Black Dog's story began in 1971 on the beach in Vineyard Haven Harbor when Captain Bob Douglas opened an eighty-eight-seat restaurant named for the Captain's beloved Labrador retriever. It was called a tavern despite the fact that Vineyard Haven is a "dry" town. Over the past thirty years, The Black Dog Tavern has grown from a small island haunt to a nationally renowned restaurant. Today no trip to the Vineyard by presidents, movie stars, or the rest of us is complete without a meal at The Black Dog.

To start a summer's day, tourists and native islanders alike line up for hours for The Black Dog's bountiful breakfasts. Now you can make these same meals at home: the lusty Huey, Louie, Andouille omelet or glorious Mango Blueberry Pancakes. Lunch is equally popular at the Dog, and you can enjoy the famed Quahog Chowder, a New England classic, or their equally delicious, though more exotic, Hot and Sour Soup. The Black Dog's chefs will teach you how to prepare classic New England starters like Stuffed Quahogs and even how to open a clam with no fuss. Dinner choices at The Black Dog always include delectable seafood preparations, but there are many other choices, too, like Crusty Pecan Chicken with Lemon Ginger Sauce and Southwestern Rubbed Stripsteak. Stir-Fried Zucchini with Peanut Sauce takes advantage of summer bounty, while Fudge-Bottom Pie makes an irresistible dessert with a minimum of preparation.

Filled with more than 130 recipes that celebrate fresh summer ingredients, along with colorful tales of the Vineyard and the Dog's adventurous crew, this book will enable you to enjoy a taste of summer on the Vineyard anytime.

Horses always start,
they never run out
of gas and they will not
get you greasy.
- Gladiola Montana

Dry rubs - mixtures of salt and ground herbs and spices - not only add flavor to your meats, they also enhance its moisture by helping to seal in the meat juices. We've chosen strip steaks for this recipe, but you can substitute another favorite cut. This rub is also great on pork.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Ancho chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoons cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons Spanish paprika

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 twelve-ounce strip steaks

Directions:

Mix the dry ingredients together in a pie pan.

Dry two twelve-ounce strip steaks and lay them in the pie pan to coat both sides of the steaks with the rub mixture.

Broil or grill to desired level of doneness, usually about 4 to 5 minutes a side for medium rare. If Ancho chili powder is unavailable locally, you can make your own by grinding whole Ancho chilis (dry poblano) in your food processor. We serve this at The Black Dog with Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Lime & Chipotle (see recipe on page 185).